Sound Postcards, By Way of Poland

Unsound Festival director Mat Schultz first discovered sound postcards while digging around in the flea markets of Poland. A product of the late ’60s — vinyl records were hard to come by in the Communist era — each laminated print features a nostalgic image and audio technology that allows it to be played on a turntable. From Polish songs to hit Western songs, the sound quality is still grainy as if ripped straight from vinyl, with the imprint of the disc still intact.

Schultz has amassed hundreds of these cards that are now on display at New York City’s Devotion Gallery. View and listen to some of our favorites from the litter after the jump. Could this potentially be the resurgence of a forgotten medium?

Children of Paradise

Arel

Jadą wozy kolorowe

The Wings

Be sure to check out the rest of the the impressive collection at the Devotion Gallery through February 14th. As an added bonus, listen to the audio commentary by Mat Schultz himself about his fascinations with the postcards over a picture slideshow, produced by BBC’s Alex Gallafent.